The Map That Changed the World - Simon Winchester

THE EXTRAORDINARY TALE OF THE FATHER OF MODERN GEOLOGYHidden behind velvet curtains above a stairway in a house in London''s Piccadilly is an enormous and beautiful hand-coloured map - the first geological map of anywhere in the world. Its maker was a farmer''s son named William Smith. Born in 1769 his life was troubled: he was imprisoned for debt, turned out of his home, his work was plagiarised, his wife went insane and the scientific establishment shunned him. It was not until 1829, when a Yorkshire aristocrat recognised his genius, that he was returned to London in triumph: The Map That Changed the World is his story.''For a geologist, this is a must read'' Amazon Reviewer''It serves to lift a genius from academic semi-obscurity and to award him the acknowledgement he undoubtedly deserves'' Amazon Reviewer''Never realised how seminal this map was'' Amazon Reviewer